William e



{No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. B. LEE. DARK ROOM CAMERA.

No. 547,855. Patented Oct. 15,1895.

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(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sh'eet 2.

W. E. LEE.

DARK ROOM CAMERA.

AN DREW [GRAHAM,PHO'IO-UTHQWASNINGTOKDI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. LEE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOWILLIAM L. SHEPPARD, OF SAME PLACE.

DARK-ROOM CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 547,855, dated October15, 1895.

Application filed December 31, 1894. Serial No. 533,427. (No model.)

[0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. LEE, a citizen of, the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Dark-Room Camera; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

The objects of my invention are, first, to enable the operator tocomplete the making of the negative without leaving the dark-room inphotoengraving without the employment of the ordinary camera; second, tocontrol the position of the object outside the darkroom inphotographiccopying from a position within the dark-chamber; third, toadjust the position of the focusing-plate; fourth, to reduce theaberrations of the object in a minimum degree and secure a clearcorrespondence between the external object and the object reproduced.

My invention consists in the novel construction and combination of partssuch as will first be fully described, and specifically pointed out inthe claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a view of the respective lightand dark chambers for negative making with the side walls broken away,showing the interior of the separate rooms and the improved apparatus inperspective. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of thechambers and apparatus as viewed from the opposite side of the rooms inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail broken end View of the carriage, showing thecameraextension frame, the sliding focusing-window, andsensitive-plate-holding frames. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on theline mm of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the dark-room in which thevarious processes employed in sensitizing and developing a plate areconducted.

B is an adjoining room in which the light is freely admitted and whichis separated from the chamber A by the transverse solid partition orwall 0.

D represents a door in the portion of wall 0 adjacent to the side wall aof the chamber A, which when opened affords a passage between theseparate chambers. In the wall 0, between the door D and the side Walla, is arranged the upright portion E of a yielding lens-supporting standE. Said portion E consists of a hollow case, the sides 0 c of which arecomparatively narrow in width and extend in an upward direction therequired height to give a proper field for the object and downwardlynearly to the floor of chamher A for the purpose hereinafter described.The sides e e of the case E are in a vertical line with the respectiveouter and inner surfaces of the wall 0. Attached rigidly and extendingaround the outer portion of the sides and end of the case E at a pointequidistant from the lines of the sides 6 e is a narrow strip 6 On thelower end of the case E, in line with the outer surfaces of therespective sides 6 e and on each side of the strip 6 are attached thestrips c 6 Beneath the strips e e and at one end of case E are spiralsprings e 6 At the other end of the case 6 and beneath the strips 6 eare arranged springs which are similar to the springs e 6 In the innersurface of the top and respective sides of the opening 0 and at a pointequidistant from the inner and outer surfaces of the wall C is a grooveor depression 0, which receives the strip 6 so as to permit a freemovement of the case and at the same time exclude the light. In theupper portion of case E and extending through each portion 6 e is arectangular-shaped opening 6 the sides of which extend a short distanceoutwardly from the outer side of ease E in one direction and thecorresponding distance from the side 6 in the other direction. Theopposite sides of the extended portions of the sides of opening 6 whichare within the chamber A, are grooved, as at e e". In the upper portionof said extended'portion is a slide-opening e in which and grooves c eis a darkening-slide e In the same extended portion of the sides a andin rearof the grooves holding the slide e is a slide 6 in which is anthe extended end portion of the sides of the opening in the direction ofthe chamber B are grooves for the reception of the slide 6 in likemanner as described on the portion in the chamber A.

Attached rigidly to the floor a of chamber A and extending upwardly oneach side of the strip e are guides a a which extend parallel with thesaid strip and retain the lower end of the case E in position upon thespring. The other portion of the lens-supporting stand E in the chamberA consists of the horizontally-extended bars 6 e", which are connectedwith the side 6 of case E at a point about one-half the describeddistance upwardly from the floor a and extend rearwardly a considerabledistance. These bars 6 e are supported at the rear end by th'efistandards 0 e Near the case E, and connected with the bars e c", are thesupporting-standards e At a point on the bars e e equidistant E from thestandards (3 e e e are attached l standards e 6 all of which standardsextend to within a short distance of the floor d of the chamber A, andbeneath each standard is placed a spiral spring of the same descriptionand in the same manner as beneath the case E.

Beneath the respective bars e 6 are the bars 6 6 which are connectedwith 1 each of the standards and the case E in the same manner as thebars 6 e Upon the f upper side of the bar e and extending from T thecase E to the end of the said bar is a guide-rod e which is supported ateach end i in the upwardly-extended lugs 6 6.

Upon

the upper side of the other bar is a guide-rod, which is attached to thesaid bar in precisely the same manner as the rod (2 Upon the track-rails6 e is mounted an adjustable? sliding carriage F, which consists of arectan- 1 gular-shaped frame. portion and at one end of the frame F areUpon the under side;'

the rollers ff, which rollers travel on a trackrail on the upper side ofthe bar 6 on the} inner side of the rod 6 Upon the other side of theframe F are rollers which travelon the track-rail on the upper side ofthe bar 2 c". On the rod 6 is a sliding eyeboltf', the

screw-threaded end of which extends through i of frame F nearly to theceiling of the chamher A. Within the frame G is fitted a focus- 1ing-frame H, which is usually provided with f a ground glass 7%. In theupper part of the 1 frame G are spring sash-balances g g of the usualconstruction, the recoding-spring act-uating the chain attached to theframe G, so 1 as to retain the said frame in an elevated position. Uponthe lower rail of the frame H is a lateral extension h.

The plate-holder for the sensitive plate consists of a frame I, which ishinged at its lower end to the upper side of the sliding carriage Fandbetween the sides of the frame G. Said frame I extends in an upwarddirection to a point a slight distance beneath the extension h on thelower rail of the frame H when in a vertical position. The frame lisprovided with a slide 1', which is retained by springpressure on itssides which come into contact with the inner sides of the frame I. Onthe inner surface of the vertical portions of the frame I is a rack tand on the other side is a similar rack i which supports a movablegrooved bar t The under portion of the v slide '6 is also grooved, andin the grooves of a the said slide and bar is placed the sensitive plateK. To prevent any movement of the sensitive plate a bar L is hinged atits lower end to the lower rail of the frame I and in rear of thesensitiveplate K.

The upper end of bar L is provided with a spring-bolt Z, which engageswith a keeper Z extending from the upper rail of the frame I. On theinner side of the bar L is a curved spring Z which bears against thesensitive plate K.

Through the standard a a short distance beneath the bar 6 extends ashaft m. On the end of shaft 172, which extends outwardly from the bar,is mounted rigidlya handwheel M, and on the other end of the shaft, onthe inner side of the standard, is mounted a bandpulley m, for thepurpose hereinafter described. In the chamber B, on the other side ofthe lens-stand, is aframe N, which consists of horizontal bars a a,supported upon uprights or standards it placed at proper distancesapart. These standards are supported upon springs n of the samedescription as the springs 6 e The height of the standards n n is lessthan that of the lens-stand E, so that the position of the bars 91 n isa considerable distance below the horizontal lensstand. The ends of thebarsn 71, extending toward the case E of the lens'supporting stand, areattached rigidly thereto and extend rear- Wardly the requisite distance,the rear ends being connected by a transverse bar 01 The connecting-barsn n in the frame N are connected with the case E and also extend to andare connected with the bars e e of the lenssupporting stand, thus makinga rigid connection when employed with the lens-supporting stand. Uponthe extreme outer ends of the bars a n, and near the connecting bar 02is journaled a transverse shaft 02 upon which is a band-pulley n. Uponthe upper surface of each of the bars at n is a track-rail n Upontrack-rails n n is a sliding carriage O, which is provided with groovedwheels 0. On the opposite sides of the carriage O are fixed standards 00, which extend upwardly a considerable distance and are provided withcross-bars 0 0 To the upper cross-bar 0 is hung the object-frame P, towhich the object to be reproduced is attached.

Within the case E of the lens -supporting stand and journaled in theends of said case between the sides 6 e and at a point below a linehorizontal with the under portion of the bars at n of the frame N is ashaft 0", upon which is a belt-pulley R. Directly above the shaft R andjournaled in the ends of the case E in a linehorizontal with the underside of the bar e e is a shaft 3, upon which isa pulley S. Above theline of shaft 3 and in a direction toward the side 0 of the said caseand journaled in the ends thereof is a shaft 75, upon which is aband-pulley T. Beneath the shaft 25 and above the line of the horizontalupper portion of the bars n a of the frame N and journaled on the endsof case E is a shaft 1), upon which is a band-pulley V.

To the rear end of carriage O is attached one end of a band W, the otherend of which band is extended over pulley n beneath the line of the barsa n and through an opening a in the case E, thence over the pulley R andupwardly over pulley S, thence through an opening '11, in the side 6 ofcase E, thence to and over the band-pulley m on shaft m, thence towardthe case 'E' and through an opening a in the case E, thence to and overthe pulley V, thence in a downward direction over pulley T and throughan opening a in the side 6 of the case E and attached to the forward endof the carriage O, the pulleys T, R, V, and S being arranged in analternate position in vertical series, so as to prevent the rays oflight which would enter the openings u, and a in the side of the case Efrom gaining entrance to the dark-room through the openings u 14 whichare above the lines of the openings 11. u

In the preparation of the sensitive plate in photographic processes thesensitizing of the plate is performed within the dark-room A, the slide6 being lowered in position so as to cover the opening to the lens 6 Theobject to be reproduced is placed in the frame P in the sliding frame 0in the light-chamber B. The operator is within the dark-room A, thedoorD being closed. The sensitive plate holder framel is then placed inahorizontal position upon carriage F and the focusing-frame H drawndownwardly in position opposite the lens 6 The slide 6 covering the lensis then raised in position, and the object reversed in frame P is seenupon the ground glass in frame If. IVithout the necessity of leaving thedarkroom, the operator then proceeds to diminish or enlarge the imagethrown upon the glass in frame H in proportion to the required size ofthe picture. This is accomplished by operating the wheel M, which movesthe band N, connected with the sliding frame 0 on the frame N, and theposition of the carriage is at once changed on the track a, so as tocause the object to be reproduced to be at a greater distance from ornearer to the lens. The proper focus being obtained, the frame II isagain raised in position and the sensitive-plate holder also raised inposition and held by button cross-rail above of the frame H frombackward movement. The slide 0 is then lowered so as to cover theopening to the lens. The sensitive plate is placed immediately in thegrooves in the respective slides t t of the frame I and the bar K raisedin position, which brings the springs Z against the back of thesensitive plate and the upper end of the bars secured by the spring-boltand its keeper. The slide 6 is then raised to expose the sensitive plateand the copy obtained. In the adjustment of the carriage F its positionis determined by the size of the image obtained and the movement of thecarriage is caused by turning the wheel f which moves the cog-wheels onthe tracks in the direction of the movement of the handwheel, so that alarge reproduction may be obtained in proportion as the sliding carriageis removed distant from the lens. It will be observed that thedark-chamber A with the lens and the sensitive-plate holder constitutethe camera, and in which all of the necessary operations fromsensitizing to developing the plate and finishing the picture areperformed,

and all of the advantages for the proper focus-- ing of the objectobtained within the chamber. In my apparatus for outdoor photography thechamber A may be mounted upon wheels and the best results obtained inenlargement of the objects. For the purpose of enlarging the size of theimage on the frame P, the lens is placed in the dotted position, as seenin Fig. 2, nearer the object on the frame P.

In indoor photography the aberrations of light are caused frequently bythe vibrations of the walls and floors of a building, caused by jarsfrom the motion of machinery, &c. In my improved apparatus all effectsdue to the vibrations are checked by the springs e e e n beneath therespective stands and frames, so that the movements of the frames andstand will be prevented. The usual light admitted to the room 13 throughthe window may be excluded and an electric light X employed, ifpreferred, the latter affordinga certain intensity which may be madeconstant.

The various photographic printing methods have been in enlarging fromthe negative. Therefore the light passing through the negative and therear end of the'lens the image is opening a sliding carriage in saiddark room having an upwardly extended frame, and a suspension balance insaid frame, movable frames in said upwardly extended frame containingthe respective focusing and sensitive plates, one of said frames beingconnected with said suspension balance and the other frame hinged tosaid carriage and adapted to extend between the sides of said upwardlyextended frame when elevated in position, and directly beneath saidsuspended frame as and for the purpose described.

2. In a dark room camera a dark chamber having an opening in its walland a stand for the lens in said opening and springs for preventingvibrations between the said Walls and stand as described.

3. In a dark room camera a chamber having an opening in its Wall andgrooved sides to said opening and a lens supporting stand having ayielding support and strips upon the said stand extending within thegrooves in said Wall substantially as and for the purpose described.

45. In a dark room camera a dark chamber having an opening in its wallsand a lens supporting stand in said opening having yielding supports,said stand having a transverse opening and outwardly and oppositelyextended grooved sides to said opening, a slide in the grooves of one ofsaid extended sides and a lens in said slide and a darkening slide inthe other extended side substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a dark room camera a chamber having an opening in its Wall and alens supporting stand within said chamber having a transverse openingand sides to said opening having outwardly extended grooved portions, aslide in said grooves having an opening for the lens and a lens in saidopening and a yielding support for said stand substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

6. In a dark room camera a dark room having an opening in its wall and alens supporting case in said opening, said case having openings in itssides at different heights, a chamber in which light is freely admittedand an object support in said chamber, and a sensitive plate holder inthe dark room and a band connected with and operating said objectsupport and said sensitive plate holder and extending through theopenings in the sides of said case and rollers within said case for saidband arranged in alternate positions in vertical series substantially asshown and described.

7. In a. dark room camera a dark chamber having an opening in its walland a lens supporting stand Within said opening, said stand having atransverse opening and outwardly and oppositely extended grooved sidesto said opening a movable object supporting stand outside of saidchamber opposite said lens supporting stand and a movable stand withinsaid dark chamber having separate focusing and sensitive plate holdersmeans for guiding the sensitive plate holder in the position occupied bythe focusing plate holder, a slide in the side of said opening in saidlens supporting stand Without the dark chamber and a lens in said slideextending in the direction of the object and a darkening slide in theeX- tended grooved side Within said dark chamber substantially as andfor the purpose described.

W'ILLIAM E. LEE.

Witnesses:

G. L. O. HASSON, JosEPH RosENTHAL.

